Foldable cardboard box



Oct. 13, 1942. M. HYNDMAN 2,298,565

FOLDABLE CARJBOARD BOX Fi-led Jem` 25, 1940 n 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 13, 1942. M. HYNDMAN FOLDABLE cARDBoARD Box 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 25, 1940 i Patented Oct. 13, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEl FOLDABLE CARDBOARD BOX v Meade Hyndman, St. Louis, Mo.

Application January 25, 1940, Serial No. 315,500

1 Claim.

This invention relates to foldable cardboard boxes.

Objects of the invention are to provide an.

improved foldable cardboard box made from a one-piece blank adjustable to form two side wallsv and two end Walls, and having tabs integral with the lower edges of said walls and foldable and engageable in a novel relationship so that the tabs in connection with the side walls interlock with each other and overlap the end wall tabs in a manner to cooperate with said end wall tabs to strengthen, brace and support the box in open form and prevent undue distortion of the box -by the pressures andforces to which it is ordinarily subjected when in use; and to provide novel hinge attaching means for attaching the respective end wall tabs to the adjacent side wall tabs in a manner to require proper interlocking of the side wall tabs with each other and extension of said side wall tabs upon the end wall tabs to form a complete closed bottom for the box.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being made to the annexed drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form of blank for making a box according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the blank after the tabs have been folded against the inner surfaces of the side and end walls and adhesive has beenapplied to the attaching hinge portions of the end Wall tabs.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blank after one of the side walls has been folded over upon the adjacent end wall to attach the side wall tab to the hinge portion of the end wall tab.

Fig. 4 is a plan view ofthe folded box completed.

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing theinside of the completed box.

Fig. 6 is an outside bottom plan view of the completed box.

Fig. 7 is a plan view showing a blank of modified form for making a box according to this invention.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of this blank after the tabs have been folded upon the side and end walls thereof and adhesive appliedto attaching hinge portions of certain of the tabs.

Fig. 9 is a plan View after one of the side-walls has been folded upon adjacent wall structure to eiect attachment of the slde wall tab with the adjacent end wall tab.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the folded box completed.

taching tab 9.

in the blanksfor making boxes according to the present invention. One'specific form of blank is shown in Fig. 1, and a varied form of blank is shown in Fig. '1. In each instance, it will be noted that tabs for forming the bottom of the box are hinged to the lower edges of the side and end walls, and that the tabs that are'fhinged to the side Walls are permanently attached by hinge devices witln adjacent tabs integrally .connected by hinges with the end walls in a relationship so that when the completed folded box is opened, as in Fig. 5 and in Fig. 11, a complete bottom for the box is provided in which the side tabs are interlocked, and the attaching means between the sideA tabs and the end tabs cooperate to prevent distortion of the completed open box.

As shown in Fig. 1, the one-piece cardboard blank provides side walls I and 2 integrally united by an end wall 3 by hinges 4 and 5, and an end wall 6 integrally connected with the side wall 2 by a hinge I parallel with the hinges 4 and 5. The free end of the side wall I has integral hinge connection 8 with an extended at- In this blank, the side walls I and 2 are of the same size, and the area of the endv wall 3 is equal to that of the end wall 6.

This one-piece cardboard blank includes bottom forming structure for the box comprising a tab I0 extending the full length of and united with the bottom edge of the end wall I by an integral hinge II; a tab I2 extending the full length of and integrally united with the lower edge of the end wall 3 by a hinge I3 in alinement Fig. 11 is a plan viewshowing the inside of Equivalent variations as to form' may be used said tab I2, as in Fig. 6. The end I'I of the tab I0 that is toward the tab I2 is in alinement with the hinge I4 so that, when the box is opened as in Fig. 5,'the end Il is against the inner surface of the end wall 3 above the tab I2.

A locking tab I 8 is integrally connected with the lower edge of the side wall 2 by a hinge I9 in alinement with the hinges II and I3, and is separated from the adjacent end of the tab I2 by a space 20 in continuation of the hinge 5. The edge of the tab I 8 is provided with a'notch 21 forming an extension 22 that extends to the underside of the tab I0 when the blank is folded and vthe box formed thereby is opened, and a portion 23 which extends over the inner side of the tab I0. The end 24 of the tab I8 is in alinement with the hinge 1 so that, when the box is opened, said end 24 engages against the inner surface of the end wall 6. A tab 25 analogous to the tab I2 is integrally connected with the lower edge of the end wall 6 by a hinge 26 in continuation of the hinges' I9, I3 and II, and is permanently united with an attaching device 21 by hinges 28, the intermediate portion of said attaching device 21 being separated from the tab 25 by a slit 29.

This complete blank may be made by a die. and

the various hinges formed at the same operation,

or otherwise, as preferred. After the blank is formed, the tabs are turned along the hinges I I, I3, I9 and 26 upon the inner surfaces of therespective walls I, 3, 2 and 5, leaving the tab 9 extended beyond the wall I. While the tabs remain folded in this manner, adhesive 30 is applied to the exposed surfaces of the hinges I4 and 21 which are of approximately the same dimensions so that the same or duplicate applicators may be used to apply the adhesive thereto. After the adhesive 30 has been applied to the hinge device I4, the wall I and tab III are turned along the hinge 4 to press a portion of the surface of the tab I against the adhesive 21, as may be understood by reference to Fig. 3. While the tab 9 remains extended beyond the wall I, adhesive 3l is applied to the exposed surface of said tab, and then the wall 6, tab 25 and hinge device 21 are turned along the hinge 1 to superimpose the hinge device 21 upon the adjacent portion of the tab I 8, and place the end portion of the wall 6 in overlapping relationship upon the tab 9. Enough pressure is applied to the folded box to cause the adhesive to attach the parts together and hold them in that relationship in cooperation with the hinges integrally connecting the devices I4 and 21 with the adjacent tabs.

The box may then be opened by applying pressure against the ends of the folded box formed along the hinges 4 and 1, causing the side walls I and 2 and the end walls 3 and 6 to spread apart in rectangular form, as shown in Fig. 5. The relative movement of the parts affected by this pressure turns the hinge devices'l4 and 21 about their respective hinges I5 and 28, superimposing said hinge devices upon their supporting tabs I2 and 25, seating the tab I 0 upon the tab I2 and the tab I8 upon the tab 25, interlocking the tab I0 in the notch 2|, and placing the tab ends I1 and 24 against the walls 3 and 6 in eiective c0- operation with the attached hinge devices to hold the box open and prevent distortion thereof.

In the open box, the side tabs l0 and I8 cross and interlock with each other, the end tabs I2 and 25 underlie and seat against the outer exposed surfaces of the side tabs I0 and I8 respectively, the end tab I2 having permanent hinge connection with the side tab III, the end tab 25 having permanent hinge connection with the side tab I8, and the end portions integral with said end tabs I2 and 25 extend beyond said hinge connections against the undersurfaces of and thereby support the adjacent portions of the other side tabs. This is to say that an end portion of the end tab I2 extends beyond the hinge by which said end tab I2 is attached to the side Figs. 'I and 8, thesame reference numerals with exponents are applied to parts that are analogous to the parts already described. In this modified form, adjacent ends of the tabs III' and I2' `are.

provided with hinge tabs 32 and 33 united with their respective tabs by hinges 34 and 35. And the adjacent ends of the tabs I8' and 25' are provided with hinge tabs 36 and 31 united with their respective tabs by hinges 33 and 39. This blank is folded inthe same manner 'and relationship as the blank already described. After the tabs are folded upon the side and end walls of the blank, adhesive 40 is applied to the upper surfaces of the tabs 32 and 36, or to the tabs 33 and 31, as may be preferred, after which the wall I' and tab I0' are folded along the hinge 4' to superimpose the tab I0 upon the tab I 2' and the hinge tab 32 upon the hinge tab 33, the tab tab I0, and underlies the outer surface and f thereby supports the adjacent portion of the side is open,

y9' being extended beyond the wall I', as shown in Fig. 9. Then the exposed surface of the tab 9' is provided with a coat of adhesive 4I after which the end wall 6' .and tab 25' are folded along the hinge 1 `to lay the hinge tab 31 against the hinge tab 36 and the end portion of the wall 6' upon the tab 8. Sufficient pressure is applied to the folded blank to cause the adhesive to attach the adhesively coated parts to those with which they contact. Y

When the folded box is completed, it may be opened in the same manner as the folded box shown in Fig. 4 may be opened, by pressing the hinges 4 and 1' toward each other, causing the edge of the tab I0' to interlock within the notch 2|'. 'Ihe adhesively united tabs 32 and 33 and the adhesively united tabs 38 and 31 are at the inner side of the open box asv shown in Fig. 11, and may be pressed iiatwise on the box bottom.

It will thus be seen that each embodiment of my invention comprises hinge devices functioning to assure interlocking of the side wall tabs with each other and proper positioning of all of the tabs to form a completed bottom that will hold the box open. I

These blanks may be formed, folded and attached by machinery at present available with very slight additions thereto, and no completely special machines are required. The invention attains all of itsintended objects and purposes eiliciently and satisfactorily.

I claim:

A foldable box made from a one-piece blank including two side walls and two end walls, side tabs having permanent integral hinge connection with the lower edges of said side walls and arranged to cross each other and interlock when the box is opened, end tabs complementary to said respective side tabs and having permanent integral hinge connection with the lower edges of said end walls, hinges having spaced end portions in integral connection with the edges of said end tabs and being unattached to said end tabs between said end portions, parts in connection with said hinges extending beyond the edges of said end tabs when said hinges are attached to said side tabs and the box is open, and means for attaching said hinges including said parts to the undersides of the adjacent side tabs leaving the box free to be moved from folded position to open box-like form, Iand vice versa, and holding said side tabs crossed and interlocked when the box MEADE HYNDMAN. 

